CFP Board of Managers Chair Mark Keenum expressed that there are currently "no plans in place to include more teams in the playoff," according to Tyler Horka of the Jackson CLARION-LEDGER. Keenum, who also serves as Mississippi State President, said that the current four-team format "has been a 'tremendous success' for the competing teams as well as college football fans in general." He said it is "way too soon -- much too soon -- to know" if expansion is a possibility. Keenum did admit that the board "will one day get to the point of deliberating on expansion." However, he said, "We have a twelve-year contract we are very happy with" (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 1/8). CFP Exec Dir Bill Hancock said that there is "no clause" in the broadcast contract with ESPN that "allows for changes." Keenum also said that there was a "discussion within the room to see what they could do to improve the current system -- something the board does annually -- but didn't specify if any changes would be implemented by next year's playoff, or give a timeline as to when there might be more discussions" (ESPN.com, 1/7).
ON THE RADAR: UCF AD Danny White yesterday said that he is "glad to see expansion is at least on the group’s radar." White, who has been outspoken about the need to expand following his school being excluded the last two seasons, said, "Obviously, we’d like to see expansion sooner than later." In Orlando, Matt Murschel notes the movement for playoff expansion "gained momentum midway through" the '18 season with White "questioning the validity of the postseason model" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/8). The AP's Ralph Russo noted expansion talk picked up last month when Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany stated that he was "ready to begin talking about an eight-team format after his conference was left out of the playoff for a second consecutive season." Having Delany and some Big Ten ADs "come out in favor of looking at expansion caused a stir." AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco, "buoyed by UCF’s performance the last two seasons, also has begun making a case for a bigger field." However, statements favoring expansion "conflicted what other conference commissioners have said" (AP, 1/7). SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said that he "believes 'four is the right number' and his conference will not give up its lucrative title game to keep the total number of potential games at 15" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/8).
